1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to a soap composition for cleansing and conditioning skin and hair.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of natural soap to clean the hair (shampoo) and to clean the skin (body soap) dates back over 2000 years. The process for making soap generally relies on a process known as saponification. Specifically, mixing fat with alkali will cause the fat to hydrolyze, or split, into a mixture of fatty acids and glycerin. In commercial processes, the glycerin is removed for use in any number of other applications. The fatty acids are then neutralized, commonly by addition of caustic soda, to form the raw soap. The raw soap can then be modified for commercial use, for example, by the addition of various adjuncts, for example, colorants, perfumes, moisturizers and preservatives.
The neutralization of the fatty acids with soda results in what is known as a sodium soap. One of the most common problems associated with sodium soaps is that they tend to cause precipitate-formation from hard (mineral-rich) water. These precipitates are undesireable because they are difficult to rinse from the hair and skin and can also leave stubborn deposits in sinks, tubs and shower stalls.
Another difficulty with fatty acid sodium soaps and shampoos derives from the general incompatibility between the cleansing and the conditioning components. The most common solution has been to use two separate products, for example, a cleansing shampoo followed by a conditioning agent. For convenience, however, it is preferable to have the cleansing and conditioning components in a single formulation. Unfortunately, most combination shampoo/conditioners do not perform as well as separate formulations.